Support for dress-forms and the like.



W. E. HUME.

SUPPORT FOR DRESS FORMS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY a, 1913.

1 1 1 552 Patented June 30,1914.

Q/Vi/tmeoaco V (g, mm ntoz NTTE' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. HUME, 0F RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY.

SUPPORT FOR DRESS-FORMS AND THE LIKE.

and lowered, and to provide in connection with the same a positive lock which will automatically lock and hold the -form at a desired height, which will permit its rotation, and which has a handle mechanism by which the form can be raised or lowered, the handle mechanism serving also to release the automatic lock. Thus the operator can grasp the handle mechanism and without any other operation raise or lower the form.

as desired, and on releasing the handle mechanism the apparatus will automatically lock itself.

In carrying out my invention I use a form,

of lock which is not broadly new, but which is novel, I think, in connection with the handle mechanism which acts as above described.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views. a

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete apparatus. Fig. 2 is a detail vertical section on an enlarged scale. ofthe handle and locking mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the handle and locking mechanism with the supporting post removed. Fig. 4c is a detail side elevation of the housing inwhich the mechanism is located, and Fig. 5 is a cross section on-the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The apparatus is provided with a suitable base 10 which as shown is mounted on casters, and which is of the customary kind,

rising from which is a post 11. 'A tube 12 slides and turns on the post and carries on its upper end a dress form 13 or other article which is desired to be supported. At the lower end of the tube 12 is a collar 14 which serves also as a cap for the housing, and between which and the tube 12 is a washer 15. The collar has on one side a hand grip Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June so, 1914.

Application filed July 3, 1913. Serial No. 777,176.

16, which comes opposite the handle 23 hereinafter referred to. Immediately below the collar 14 and connected therewith so as to practically form a part thereof, is a housing 17, the inner wall. of which on one side is inclined as shown at 18 in Fig. 2, and between this inclined Wall and the pod 11 is a rolling member which is preferably a ball 19, and which is normally pressed upward by a spring 20 arranged between the ball and the bottom of the housing, and supported ona screw 21. It will be seen thatthe way in which the-ball runs is narrower at the top than at the bottom, and consequently the weight of the form 13 and tube 12 will cause the rolling wedge member to be wedged between the inclined wall and the post 11, so as to automatically lock the tube 12 and hold it and the form or other matter which it carries, at the height at which it happens to be when the handle mechanism is released. as hereinafter described.

The rolling member or ball 19 is placed immediately beneath the short end 22 of the handle 23, which is pivoted as shown. at 24 in the slot 25 in the upper part of the hous-' ing, and immediately above the inclined wall 18. The handle mechanism is located at the lower end of the tube 12 so as to be arranged below theskirt or garment which may be supported on the form 13, this mak ing it more convenient to use.

It will be seen that the form 13 can turn freely on the post 11, but, when the form or analogous article is to be adjusted vertically, the operator simply grasps the hand grip l6 and handle 23, which pushes down the inner end of the handle and depresses the ball 19 so that the tube 12 and article which it carries, can at the same time be raised or loweredv by the handles. When these are released, the ball immediately assumes its wedging position between the wall 18 and the post 11, and the device is securely locked.

I am aware that there is nothing broadly new in using a rolling wedge and a fastening means, but by arranging it in combination with the handle mechanism and article to be raised or lowered as described, it will be seen that I get not only a fastening means, but an automatic releasing andlocking means, so that when the handles are grasped to raise or lower the device, the lock is automatically released, while by releasing the handles, the locking device automatically locks itself. The construction, it

will be noted, is extremely simple and positive, there is nothing to get out of order about it, and it is so cheap in construction that it is a great advantage in. the class specified because these articles are necessarily cheap.

It will be observed that the housing 17 is separate from the tube 12, as the structure can be more clieapl made this way and works better, but if t 1e housing were simply an enlarged part of the tube 12, the operation would of course be the same.

I claim:

1. A structure of the class described, comprising a supporting post, a tube sliding thereon, a housin on the tube, said housing having an inclined wall, a spring pressed rolling Wedge member between the inclined wall and the post, a handle pivoted in a slot in the housing and having its inner end contacting with the rolling wedge memher, and a hand grip projecting from the housing parallel with the said handle.

2. A structure of the class described, comprising a supporting post, a tube sliding and turning on the post, a housing at the lower end of the tube, said housing having a slot in one end and an inclined Wall below the slot, a spring pressed rolling wedge member between the inclined wall and the post, a handle pivoted in the aforesaid slot and having its inner end adapted to contact with the rolling wedge member, a cap for the housing and a hand grip projecting from the cap opposite the said handle.

WVALTER E. HUME. Witnesses I \VARREN B. HUTci-uNsoN, ARTHUR G. I)ANNELL. 

